I have an NPower problem too!...

LLM

I lost my job back in July and had a rubbish temping job which I also lost (through no fault of my own I must add!)

Anyway, my NPower bill arrived and I thought I could pay it but come the end of the month, I realised that I couldn't and at the end of the day, rent is more important.

Upon receiveing my reminder, I called them and explained my situation, and the bloke was really nice, I said I could pay at the end of this month as I started a new job which I was supposed to get paid on the 15th of this month, but the paperwork was submitted late by my boss so I missed the cut off date, because I'm so skint, they are going to raise me a cheque for the end of this month which is when I said I would pay NPower and they seemed happy with this and said he'd note it on my account.

Anyway, today, I arrived home to a letter from a debt collection agency!!

I called them and explained the arrangement I made and they said they could not prevent any further action until I paid, which I cannot do until the end of this month...

I am a credit controller for a utilities company myself and where I work, if we have a promise to pay, legal action is put on hold until the date. Obviously then if the customer does not pay, legal action is continued.

I cannot understand why NPower are being so horrible about it. I am having genuine but temporary problems.

The woman I spoke to was a right cow and would not listen to me.

Is there anything else I can do to prevent them taking further action until the end of the month?

far

Can they not put you onto something called a Temporary Payment Arrangement? This would mean you pay the debt off in installments and should prevent legal action - this is what they did with my Dad and also meant he could pay the bill in installments every fortnight (can also be monthly too). You'll get a card with payment schedule which you make payments at PayPoint accredited shops with.

Thankfully we're leaving this bunch of muppets soon and have the satisfaction of knowing we'll cut nearly 50% on our electric bill (based on unit prices)!

LLM

far wrote: »

Can they not put you onto something called a Temporary Payment Arrangement? This would mean you pay the debt off in installments and should prevent legal action - this is what they did with my Dad and also meant he could pay the bill in installments every fortnight (can also be monthly too). You'll get a card with payment schedule which you make payments at PayPoint accredited shops with.

Thankfully we're leaving this bunch of muppets soon and have the satisfaction of knowing we'll cut nearly 50% on our electric bill (based on unit prices)!

Thanks, will give them a call and ask them about this, was just soooo annoyed earlier!

Terrylw1

They are just being hard faced. They could suspend your bill for 14 days if they wanted. Set up a payment arrangement with them and as long as you stick to it, they should call this off.

Everyone needs to remember that these companies use automated systems that unless you put a temporary stop on the system, these debt collection steps are just automated responses by a bot! The human intervention is needed in your case, you are not defaulting, you are discussing it all with them!!!

LLM

I've called them back to set up a payment plan and they've said they can't without half of the balance. Which I have already said I cannot afford to pay.

I have asked if it goes to court, what do they think they will achieve as I have tried to set up a payment plan which they have refused, and I am not unwilling to pay, just unable at present, have explained my situation etc and they are still being really unreasonable about it all.

What else can I do?

Terrylw1

Any money is better than none, as they should know. So, they are now denying you the ability to try to pay.

I would suggest if you get nowhere with a manager, go to Energywatch and get them to take it further.

You are clearly trying to do something and they are being unreasonable. Suppliers are told by Ofgem that even whens disputes are ongoing, they should be asking their customers to pay at least a monthly average amount to prevent them from slipping into debt.

Take it off to Energywatch and they may be more willing to negogiate from there. Sadly, a lot of these staff tend to be on commission structures so you're just a cash sign to them hence they are not very understanding.

stimpo

collections staff are not on commission.

Best advice would be to set a monthly payment plan. Negotiate on the 50% upfront and they'll be more willing to help.

And no holds will be placed on accounts for a promise to pay. If energy companies did that then they'd never get paid.

Terrylw1

They could easily put a hold on a debt with a collector and they do all the time. A lot of the debts they sell on are not even correct in the first place. However, if the debt turns out to be correct there is no need for a hold because a payment plan can be agreed.

I think the point LLM was making was where the debt is yet to be sold off and you are at the letter stages where legal action is being rattled for a response. Once it has, the Supplier doesn't want you to pay them anymore, they prefer you liaise with the collector.

I know some Suppliers have had collections staff on commission, which was the point, not that they all are. The point is, you're often just a number on a report in a days work, nothing more to a lot of them especially since all the get is confrontation all day long.

stimpo

Terrylw1 wrote: »

They could easily put a hold on a debt with a collector and they do all the time. A lot of the debts they sell on are not even correct in the first place. However, if the debt turns out to be correct there is no need for a hold because a payment plan can be agreed.

A debt is correct until its proved to be wrong.

Terrylw1 wrote: »

I think the point LLM was making was where the debt is yet to be sold off and you are at the letter stages where legal action is being rattled for a response. Once it has, the Supplier doesn't want you to pay them anymore, they prefer you liaise with the collector.

Im more than happy for customers to ring up and pay. As soon as payment is recieved or a pay plan agreed collection action stops.

Terrylw1 wrote: »

I know some Suppliers have had collections staff on commission, which was the point, not that they all are. The point is, you're often just a number on a report in a days work, nothing more to a lot of them especially since all the get is confrontation all day long.

I do yeah. Most I try to help, some take the wrong approach, shouting gets you nowhere.

Terrylw1

stimpo wrote: »

A debt is correct until its proved to be wrong.

Yes, it is however they very often get sent externally without the problems being spotted or even chased internally when they are not correct. I'm sure as a collections person you get sick of the billing people landing you in it! On the other side the billing people tend to feel the same about collections staff.
The nightmare known as the utility Supplier!

stimpo wrote: »

I do yeah. Most I try to help, some take the wrong approach, shouting gets you nowhere.

You're one of the many nice ones then. I've seen many that sit laughing at their customers and go out of their way to make it harder than it should be. Not confined to this industry though.

Thats why no matter how annoyed I am, I treat the advisors with respect and vent anger on managers!!!

paintpot

Terrylw1 wrote: »

Yes, it is however they very often get sent externally without the problems being spotted or even chased internally when they are not correct. I'm sure as a collections person you get sick of the billing people landing you in it! On the other side the billing people tend to feel the same about collections staff.
The nightmare known as the utility Supplier!


You're one of the many nice ones then. I've seen many that sit laughing at their customers and go out of their way to make it harder than it should be. Not confined to this industry though.

Thats why no matter how annoyed I am, I treat the advisors with respect and vent anger on managers!!!

Don't get me started on Npower :mad: As a landlord who has various properties with N Power, I have continual problems with them. The latest is trying to get a bill out of Npower for the power I used when the property was empty for 3 weeks. Four phone calls later and nearly two months later and a very long winded story it still hasn't arrived. Why am I chasing a bill you might ask, because last time I failed to receive one they referred me to a debt collector. All their current problems apparently are due to migrating their computer systems apparently - not my problem really :mad: